atmophile

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atmophile Applied to the gaseous elements most typical of, and concentrated in, the Earth's atmosphere; e.g. H, C, N, O, I, and inert gases. They may occur in an uncombined state or combined as, for example, in water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Compare BIOPHILE; LITHOPHILE; CHALCOPHILE; and SIDEROPHILE.

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